( A video investigation of the use of stone and towers in Simi Valley.)
I have enjoyed the reporting and videos that Mike over at votesimivalley.com has been doing. Go over to his blog and leave a comment as feedback for him. His stuff is edgy and detailed. I am sure he is going to upset many people, but he does it with such detail. Have you heard of almost any blogger discuss the "design elements" of buildings in town and the impact they have on businesses?
Anyways, here is an excerpt from a recent entry:
If you're as fascinated with local issues as I am, you definitely want an opportunity to hear what the local candidates have to say before the November 4th election. If you're NOT a member of the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce, then DON'T COUNT ON getting that opportunity. What follows is from the member e-newsletter:
The Candidates Forum will be held at the Lost Canyons Golf Club at 11:30 a.m.; admission is $20 for Chamber members and $50 for non-members.
Pay careful attention to times and entry fees... No doubt, this is NOT a forum meant for the average, working class Simi Valley voter. If any non-Chamber members plan to take the afternoon off of work and pay $50 to attend a moderated forum, I'd very much like to hear about it.
Go to votesimivalley.com for the full entry and other original reporting.
What day is this event?
"The Candidates Forum will be held at the Lost Canyons Golf Club at 11:30 a.m.; admission is $20 for Chamber members and $50 for non-members."
That is a pretty shady way of keeping non-members from expressing their opinons.
They can always go to the candidates forum at city hall the next evening. It's free and begins at 7
The Chamber is a business and as such runs like one.
Barbra, first let me just say that I think you are one badass local politician for participating on this blog as regularly as you do. You have my vote and my wife's vote HANDS DOWN! And thank you for mentioning the city hall forum. I will certainly be there with bells on and would love to meet you and shake your hand. I joined the Chamber last week, however, thinking they'd serve as a liaison between myself as a business owner and my local government. Further, I would have loved to interview other members about the issues. However, the Chamber has denied me permission to bring my camera which only further disappoints me. You're right. They are a business... very much with their own agenda, I guess I just never fully grasped that before.
Well thanks........I think! "grin"
I don't think the Chamber has authority over what happens outside as you enter or leave Lost Canyons....However, perhaps even better is to interview the candidate prior to the event Thursday night at City Hall....Most politicians LOVE talking about themselves....Just a thought.
Again, thanks for the kind words.
Barbra's awesone! She exemplifies the independent-thinking citizens of Simi Valley who have started out at the local level and have gone on to do great things. Elton Gallegly is a prime example of this.
Say "hi" to Mike Sedell from me. I used to work with him back in the 80's.
The Ventura Chamber had a forum for the Senate Candidates. Over 200 people attended. It was free.
The Simi Chamber should not be charging for what should be a community service.
Providing a venue to the candidates is not a business endeavor but a duty to the voting public. The Chamber wouldn't be in business if it didn't have the citizens of Simi.
Katie,
The Chamber of Commerce is not in the "citizen" business. They are in the business of supporting local business...Just because the Ventura Chamber didn't charge, doesn't mean that Simi Valley should follow suit. The Chamber(at last not in Simi Valley) does not endorse any political candidate. As far as a duty to the voting public is concerned I hardly think that falls under the responsibility of the Chamber of Commerce. Perhaps the League of Women Votes, the local newspaper and/or CAPC but not the Chamber...just my thoughts...
I understand what you are saying but I don't agree with the Simi Chamber actions. Obviously others don't either. In a business world, the customer is always right and the Chamber would be wise to listen.
Now that I've calmed my nerves on the topic, I'm really in the middle. I understand the Chamber's desire to turn this into a profitable venture and I don't blame them for that. More power to them. I hope they earn some serious dough. However, the Chamber claims to represent the positions of business owners to local government. This looks more to me like the Chamber presenting its own political positions to its membership base. And while Barbra is right and the Chamber doesn't officially support individual candidates, campaign contributions from the Chamber's CEO are recorded for both Miller and Sojka. Likewise, each of those candidates' campaigns contributed to the Chamber (likely for campaign membership??). While not stated, the Chamber's position is clear. Having said that, I don't think the $50 entry fee for non-members is to make a huge profit but rather to discourage them from being there. The event will likely not be any more profitable than the average Chamber networking breakfast.
How do you know where they donate their money? Are the reports online in Simi Valley?
They are now:
http://www.simivalley.org/index.aspx?page=408
This organization is a disgrace to the community. They are always begging the City Council for taxpayer money for special projects. Now, when they have the opportunity to give something back to the community, they try to discourage citizen participation. The candidates should all boycott any forumn that restricts public participation. The Acorn is trying to win favors from the Chamber with respect to additional advertising. As a newspaper, however, the Acorn should back out of this event as well.
Stop your self-righteous whining, Crapper. I don't see a problem with the Chamber trying to cover its costs in hosting an event like this with a small, nominal entry fee.
You must be a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat who expects everything be given to you for free. A true supporter of the welfare state like your buddy, Obama (Williams Ayers' partner in crime).
Grab your toilet bowl cleaner and air freshener. There's plenty of crap in the air.
I wish they would have mentioned this on the invitation they sent to all of us when they asked us to speak. While I don't think it's wrong that they are charging to attend the invitation made it seem much more open. I still think it will be beneficial and interesting, but I am glad that I found out about the specifics about the cost of the event before speaking there.
As far as I know all of the School Board Candidates will be at the City Hall discussion the week after, which is open to everyone.
CRAP, you go down with a flush. $50.00 is not a nominal fee. It is a fee meant to exclude the general public. The Ventura Chamber did it with class. The Simi Valley Chamber fell on its ass. And your CRAP, are down with a flush.
Brad, can you provide me with details or a web link or something that might provide more details about the event at city hall? I'd like to post that on my website and make sure the word gets out. I can't find anything on that!
BTW, nice work on your website!
CAP brings up a good point. If the Simi Chamber is getting tax dollars, they definitely shouldn't be charging $50.00 for the candidate forum.
Katie, the more time passes the more I see it in a more objective way. I think Barbra is right on, the Chamber is a business, even if they do request taxpayer funding of their projects (shop simi first). They're really just using the election is a tool for generating a profit in actuality, which is reasonable for a business. It took me by surprise because it wasn't necessarily represented in that way. However, I suspect the public forum will be a more lively and more appealing venue anyway. I'm very interested in seeing the average working-class voter interact with these candidates.
Well, I'm a Ventura Chamber member and a member of the Ventura Chamber Political Action Committe plus I head up CAPC which puts on candidate forums and I disagree. A forum is a public service and the Chamber should provide that for free instead of viewing it as a money making opportunity. The Simi Chamber has plenty of opportunities to make money including the Street Fair, etc.
The more time passes the more I see it as very inappropriate - even down to the timing.
Sure, and I'm not debating your position. The only thing about it now that's got me miffed is they won't let me bring in my camera to record the event. I had planned to assemble some video highlights, but I think I can live without it.
Tell me, does CAPC have a forum scheduled for these candidates? I'm looking for something, sometime soon, where I might be able to listen, ask questions, and video tape the whole process to share.
At this point CAPC does not. In retrospect, I wish we had scheduled something.
Brad,
Just an FYI,the forum at City Hall is the day after the Chamber Event at Lost Canyons and not the following week.
October 15th @ 11:30(prompty) Chamber Candidates Forum at Lost Canyons.
October 16th @ 7:00 League of Women Votes Candidates forum City hall. Admission is free.
Excellent, thank you!!
Maybe this will come off as too idealistic but the exchange of ideas that happened above plus the sharing of information about upcoming events is why I started this blog. Thanks for your contributions.
Yes, we were somewhat civil weren't we? *grin*
Hi Barbara,
The one for the school board I was invited to is on October 21st from 5-6:30pm, and is being held at the Simi Valley Council Chambers. It's being put on by the Simi Valley PTA/PTSA Council.
Is the League of Women Voters Candidates forum city hall for school board candidates as well? I haven't gotten anything in the mail about it.
Sorry Brad, I have enought trouble keeping track of ME...so if the School Board Candidates are having a fourm on the 21st that might well be, I don't know. The League is sponsoring the one for CC on the 16th.